Quote:
Originally posted by Bfair
Yet this situation illustrates the hypocrisy I feel I see among many who teach the rules, see and know the situations vs. the rules, yet fail to apply them. This is only one of several similar incidents. Am I the only one who sees things like this? Do not the Pro incidents shown in the initial post reflect similar application of rules? I suspect those officials knew the rules. The plays SEEMED obvious, at least to me. I do, indeed, have difficulty digesting some of these hapennings.
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Steve,
To a certain extent I find myself agreeing with Patrick (P-Sz) on this issue; you shouldn't use MLB umpires for such comparisons. The constraints on them are significantly different because they are in a purely professional entertainment field.
If the instructors at the Pro schools, who also happen to call AA-AAA minors, are not practicing what they preach then I would be more concerned. But I'm not worried WHAT the MLB pros actually do in that respect. It's not hypocrisy but rather meeting the pragmatic requirements of their league, about which we will inevitably know very little.
I liken it to teaching an umpire to call the plate. To begin with you ALWAYS teach ONLY the bland basics. Individual flair is deliberately discouraged until those bland basics have been grasped and mastered. Only then can you encourage them to experiment to improve their game. It's the same with the way these guys first teach and then call the game at the MLB level. In teaching they cover what Pro school candidates need to get through the first couple of levels in the minors. By the time they reach AAA, and become instructors themselves, THEN they can be acquainted with the facts of life for the MLB pros. There the strict enforcement of rules sometimes comes second to other more pressing requirements such as the maintenance of discipline and order, the following of league directives, or the general conduct of the game for the benefit of the paying fans.
OTOH, in view of the example you offered, I would be the last to argue in defense of the hypocrisy of amateur instructors telling you to call a game one way and then not calling it that way themselves. If THAT is what you are seeing on a regular basis, then I feel you have a right to rail against it. I don't think I would accept the risk of being "black balled" as an excuse to acquiesce, but it would depend on the availability of alternative leagues and associations. Remember, it is much more difficult to change an organisation from the outside.
Cheers.
[Edited by Warren Willson on Dec 29th, 2000 at 01:19 AM]